Operating sequences of a motor vehicle are controlled or regulated by control units whose core is a microcontroller. The microcontroller contains control data which the control program requires in order to ensure the operating sequence of specific devices of the vehicle. Moreover, during the service life of a control unit the operating parameters of the device which is to be controlled by this control unit may also change and therefore need to be continuously determined again and stored in the microcontroller. Moreover, it is also necessary to adapt the control programs to changes in the operating parameters of the device to be controlled.
The adaptation of the large amount of data must be carried out during the service life of the motor vehicle in such a way that the operating reliability of the motor vehicle is not put at risk as an incorrect control of the microprocessor can lead to situations in a motor vehicle which are hazardous for the traffic.
As the mode of operation of the microcontroller depends decisively on the molecular movement of the semiconductor material which bears the electronic parts, temperature changes in the environment of the microcontroller lead to malfunctions of the microcontroller and thus to disruption in the operating sequences of the motor vehicle.